Keyword: Corey Nakatani

Passed by Memorette in upper stretch, odds-on favorite Sharp Lisa refused to give in, coming back powerfully in the final sixteenth of a mile to tally a three-quarters of a length win in the $250,000 Las Virgenes (gr. I) for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita Saturday.

Trainer Todd Pletcher shipped to Southern California for his second Hollywood Turf Festival triumph in as many days when Dubleo registered his sixth win of 2004 in the $100,000 Generous Stakes (gr. IIIT) for 2-year-olds going a mile on the turf.

Trainer Dan Hendricks, paralyzed from the waist down in a motorcycle accident July 7, won the $250,000 California Cup Classic when his 20-1 shot Cozy Guy gutted out a stretch-long duel over 25-1 Lava Man at Oak Tree Santa Anita Park.

Lundy's Liabililty engaged in a spirited duel with heavy favorite Total Impact through most of Saturday's $480,000 Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II) before prevailing on the inside by a head at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meet.

French-bred Blackdoun unleashed his powerful late run to nip Toasted and Laura's Lucky Boy by a neck in the $400,000 Del Mar Derby (gr. IIT) and remain undefeated in three United States starts for trainer Julio Canani.

Royce S. Jaime's Perfect Moon, who last summer won the Best Pal Stakes (gr. II) and then was third to Siphonizer in the Del Mar Futurity (gr. II), cruised to a decisive 4 1/2-length victory Friday night in the $79,550 El Cajon Stakes for 3-year-olds.

J. Paul Reddam's Elloluv, a leading 3-year-old filly in 2003 when she won the Ashland Stakes (gr. I), but winless in six subsequent starts in top company, returned to form Thursday with a solid victory in the featured $76,000 Piedra Foundation Handicap.

Jockey Corey Nakatani took at least one punch in a jockeys' room fracas after the first race Friday at Del Mar, then came back to register a knockout of his own with three victories in his final four rides.

Fog City Stable's heavily-favored Roman Ruler, in his second career start, galloped past his stablemate Actxecutive in mid-stretch on his way to an easy victory in the Best Pal (gr. II) for 2-year-olds at Del Mar Sunday.

Moyglare Stud Farm's Where We Left Off found another gear in the final sixteenth of a mile, surging past the comfortably leading Mrs. M for a one-length triumph in the $100,000 Matchmaker Handicap (gr. IIIT) for fillies and mares on the Monmouth Park turf Sunday.

Gary A. Tanaka's veteran stakes campaigner Sarafan showed his class Wednesday with a decisive victory in the featured $79,000 Escondido Handicap at the marathon distance of 1 3/8 miles on the grass at Del Mar.

Rock Hard Ten finally had the day everyone was waiting for in the $409,300 Swaps Breeders' Cup (gr. II) for 3-year-olds at Hollywood Park Saturday, taking command in the stretch for an easy 3 3/4-length victory.

Ed Friendly's favored Friendly Michelle got a perfect stalking trip with Corey Nakatani in the saddle and bounded away from speedy Forest Music in the stretch for a convincing win in the $250,000 Prioress (gr. I) for 3-year-old fillies at Belmont Park Saturday.

Trainer Christophe Clement's decision to ship Dynever to Santa Anita for the 4-year-old colt's 2004 debut turned out to be a good one when the son of <a href="http://www.stallionregister.com/sr_sire_page.asp?refno=1049059&origin=BHonline&result=1" target="_blank">Dynaformer</a> romped to victory in the $110,600 San Bernardino Handicap (gr. III) Saturday.

Jockey Corey Nakatani received a stay of a 30-day suspension he was given on March 11 and will continue to ride until the California Horse Racing Board hears his appeal, which should come in "a few weeks," according to the rider.

Trainer Bobby Frankel broke Charlie Whittingham's Hollywood Park record for most victories in Saturday's $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup (gr. IT), but it took about 15 minutes for stewards to decide which of two horses he accomplished the feat with.

Jockeys Alex Solis, Victor Espinoza and Corey Nakatani will be busy on Nov. 30. All three have been able to make flight arrangements that will enable them to ride in both the $4 million Japan Cup (Jpn-I) and the $600,000 Hollywood Derby (gr. IT) and $500,000 Matriarch (gr. IT) at Hollywood Park later in the day.

In spite of coming out in the stretch, Wertheimer Farm's front-running Spring Star held on gamely between Magic Mission and Garden in the Rain to register a neck score in the $191,000 Palomar Handicap (gr. IIT) for fillies and mares on the Del Mar grass.

The Thoroughbred Corp. homebred Dessert, making her debut in stakes company, captured Sunday's $300,000 Del Mar Oaks (gr. IT) in gate-to-wire fashion, holding off an unlucky Solar Echo by a neck on the grass.

Secret Liaison wasn't supposed to go to the lead in Saturday's $150,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap (gr. III) for fillies and mares, but when she did, jockey Corey Nakatani decided he'd tag along for what proved to be a dominating four-length victory.

Two grade I winners whose connections are hoping for bigger things this fall, Gary Tanaka's Sarafan and The Thoroughbred Corp.'s Johar hooked up in the $75,675 Harry F. Brubaker Handicap, which started with just three horses at Del Mar Friday.

West Coast-based jockey Corey Nakatani, who finished second by a head aboard Gary A. Tanaka's Sarafan in the 2002 Arlington Million, will now get a chance to make amends for that defeat with the mount on Charles E. Fipke's Perfect Soul in Saturday's 21st running of the grade I centerpiece of the Chicago Thoroughbred racing season.

Green Hills Farm's Voodoo Dancer, widest of five pressing for the lead in deep stretch, pulled away from the others while edging favored Heat Haze for a neck victory in Saturday's $500,000 Diana Handicap (gr. IT) at Saratoga Race Course.

Sheik Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Magic Mission ended her seven-race losing streak at Hollywood Park Saturday, circling the field coming out of the turn for home to score an upset in $112,200 Royal Heroine (gr. IIIT) for fillies and mares by a head over Little Treasure.

Green Hills Farm's multiple graded stakes-winning mare Voodoo Dancer snapped a three-race losing streak and reached the winner's circle for the first time in 2003 with a late-running victory in the $200,000 Beverly Hills Handicap (gr. IIT) on the Hollywood Park turf Saturday.

Major Idea, whose three-race winning streak ended when favored in Santa Anita's Providencia Stakes last month, will be out to make amends Saturday in Hollywood Park's $100,000 Senorita Stakes (gr. IIIT) for 3-year-old fillies at one mile on turf.

Alexine, a gray mare who lost by a nose when favored in last year's Hawthorne Handicap (gr. III), will be the high weight and probable favorite in this year's $100,000-added running on Friday night at Hollywood Park.